Archives for August 1999

‘The Bills, not looking to restart the debate of who will play quarterback, elected Doug Flutie as their leader. However, if backup Rob Johnson can string together a couple of fine performances in exhibition games, dare we say the words “quarterback controversy.”‘

Another TSN team report. Rookies get good reviews.

Bob Lamb’s preseason pregame preview.

‘”To play at this level he’ll have to get in the weight room,” said Dwight Adams, Buffalo’s director of player personnel. “He gets bounced around.”’

‘His official, if less publicized title with the Bills, also includes the moniker vice president of football operations. It gives Phillips complete say in who plays for him, aside from what general manager John Butler might want.’

‘The Bills want to move their summer home to Rochester for marketing purposes. The Rochester area accounts for 25 percent of their ticket sales. A Rochester-based camp would also provide easier access to clients and fans in Syracuse and the Southern Tier.’

‘With the exception of the last two minutes of each half when an official in the replay booth takes over, each head coach receives two chances per game to challenge calls. The referee watches replays off the television feed on a field-level monitor. If it’s decided the correct call was made, the challenging team loses a timeout.’

‘”…He was running in a drill and [the knee] blew out on him.”

‘”No names, but some of the guys were hitting rugby balls out there, that’s why they were so effective,” said Buffalo Bills kicker Steve Christie, who led the AFC in scoring last season. “By the time they were done with them, they were black. You’d ask, ‘That’s a game ball?’ Yeah, right.”‘

‘Bryson had been drawing raves through the first week of training camp for his play, showing quickness out of the backfield and soft hands.’

New team report from TSN. Gets you excited for the season. GO BILLS!

Great article on Doug. There are Flutie supporters in the media, by gosh!

‘”Can you find someone to replace Tasker and Pike?” DeHaven said. “You’d be asking an awful lot of a guy to come in and do that. But all of the guys we drafted this year can run.”‘

‘Phillips made it clear that unless Flutie plays poorly in the preseason, he’ll start the Sept. 12 opener in Indianapolis.’

‘Free agency and the salary cap continues to shred the depth of most NFL teams, therefore causing massive turnover on the special teams. DeHaven not only has to re-tool the units, he has to find someone capable of replacing the leadership that Tasker and Pike provided.’